Follow Us on Google
By Chinenye Anuforo
For the umpteenth time, tech experts have allayed fears that Artificial Intelligence will completely displace or replace humans.
The latest reaffirmation came from speakers at the second edition of the Kora Sundown Series who insisted that AI will never replace human experience, creativity and emotional intelligence, even as it transforms industries across Africa.
Hosted by Kora, an African payment infrastructure company, the event, themed; “AI in Africa: Calling Beyond the Hype,” was held in Lagos and brought together founders, innovators, and creatives to discuss the future of AI in technology, fashion, and the creative economy.
Opening the session, Mr. Peter Owunna of Kora said the event was designed to foster collaboration and practical dialogue on AI adoption.
“The tech space moves at the speed of light, and through engagements like this, we can develop action plans that help us move forward together,” Owunna said; “At Kora, every role now has an AI agent attached to it, improving efficiency. We believe innovation, not regulation, should drive Africa’s technology evolution.”
The highlight of the evening was a fireside chat moderated by Kora Founder and ChiefExecutiveOfficer, Mr. Dickson Nsofor, featuring fashion entrepreneurs Ifeanyi Nwune, the first designer globally to produce an AI-powered fashion collection, and Yinka Ash, Chief Executive Officer of Ashcorp Group and Founder of Ashluxury.
Speaking on the evolving relationship between AI and human creativity, Ash maintained that while AI enhances productivity, it cannot replace the essence of human experience.
“AI will try to optimise as much as possible, but some roles will always remain human. It can’t cut your hair or play football. There are experiences and emotional connections that only humans can create,” he said.
He added that while AI helps businesses with forecasting, automation, and data analysis, “true art comes from emotion, culture, and purpose, things AI doesn’t have.”
On his part, Nwune described AI as a tool that should be embraced strategically, not feared.
“AI is just a tool. It can replicate ideas, but it cannot recreate authenticity or human storytelling. The best way to protect creativity is through originality and innovation,” he said
Nwune, who recently represented Africa at Meta’s AI Summit in Dubai, noted that even the world’s biggest tech firms are still experimenting with AI’s potential.
“At the summit, I realised that even teams at Meta are still figuring it out. We’re all learning how AI fits into our world,” he added.
He further noted that AI is enabling African fashion brands to scale faster and attract investment.
“Fashion has evolved from something you start with pocket money to a serious business that can attract funding. AI will help us scale and transform African labels into global institutions,” he said.
Concluding the discussion, Nsofor emphasised that Africa must balance automation with human-centered innovation.
“AI makes it possible to build lean companies that generate massive value, but we must ensure we don’t lose the human connection that drives creativity,” he said.
“AI is not a threat, it’s an opportunity to innovate, scale, and build sustainable African enterprises.
